“It’s not saying just tell us the difference between a solid, a liquid and a gas because any kid can just Google that,” says Karen Kidwell, who is in charge of implementing the new standards for the Kentucky Department of Education.

“We don’t need kids who can just regurgitate definitions or other people’s points of view or ideas about how the way the world works.”

The NGSS were developed by an independent non-governmental group of 26 states, including Kentucky. They’re similar to the new Common Core standards in English and math—which have now been adopted by most states—in that there are fewer standards that are explored in more depth.

During the comment period the Kentucky Department of Education reminded the state school board that evolution is already included in the current standards and has been assessed since 2006. KDE staff added that the vast majority of scientists back it up.

That’s also why there are more lessons on climate change, officials say.

“They’re confusing science with other ways of thinking,” said Tom Tretter, a professor at the University of Louisville who was part of Kentucky’s team that reviewed and made recommendations for NGSS.

“A religious way of thinking is not in conflict with a scientific way of thinking,” he says. “It’s simply different. Any teacher or group of teachers who choose to ignore the best science and choose to teach non scientific ideas is really doing a disservice to their kids.”

Kentucky’s education department received thousands of written and recorded comments many from scientific organizations and educators.

Only around 300 were in opposition.

But that didn’t stop a small legislative committee (the Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee) from rejecting the NGSS in a 5-1 vote in September. Gov. Steve Beshear quickly said he would veto that decision, a move that was commended by education commissioner Terry Holliday.

The Thomas B. Fordham Institute—which supported the Common Core standards—has given the NGSS a C grade, which is better than the D grade it gave to Kentucky’s science standards, but not as strong as grades given to states like Massachusetts and South Carolina.

“The NGSS folks made a conscience decision to give greater priority to what they would call the practice of science rather than the knowledge of science. And they believe that’s the right way for science education to head and I guess our reviewers don’t agree,” says Fordham Institute President Chester Finn Jr.

But those in the science community like Rosenau say “that’s not testing what people really know about science.” He adds, “that doesn’t help people be life long science learners and appreciate the relevance of science to their lives.”

Opposition is dormant, for now. Technically, the joint education committee has until Nov. 1 to hear the standards in committee but it’s not guaranteed a vote.

After that, state lawmakers could open up the issue for discussion when the General Assembly is back in January, but the education department is already preparing to implement the standards and Gov. Beshear has made clear his intent to move forward.